Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an image processing apparatus, a control method therefor, and a storage medium storing a control program therefor, and in particular, relates to an image processing apparatus that is capable of performing a reservation printing process, a control method therefor, and a storage medium storing a control program therefor.
Description of the Related Art
An MFP, which is an image processing apparatus that is capable of performing a reservation printing, receives print data for performing a printing process from a client PC or the like, and reserves the print data concerned without performing the printing process for the received print data immediately.
In general, an MFP is able to reserve a plurality of sets of print data. When a user who transmitted print data from a client PC logs in to an MFP and instructs the MFP to perform a printing process by selecting at least one print data among a plurality of sets of print data, the MFP performs the printing process for the selected print data. Furthermore, the MFP performs a data communication with another MFP that is capable of performing a reservation printing. When other print data reserved in the other MFP is transferred from the other MFP, the MFP can perform the printing process for the other print data.
An MFP displays a print data list screen for selecting print data used for a printing process that will be performed. The printing processes for sets of print data selected by a user are performed in a performing order according to a specification of the MFP (for example, see Japanese Laid-Open Patent Publication (Kokai) No. 2005-004798 (JP 2005-004798A)) or according to the selection order of the sets of print data selected by the user in the print data list screen.
However, when the printing processes for a plurality of sets of print data are performed according to the selection order selected by the user, a period (hereinafter referred to as “FPOT (First Print Output Time)”) required until a first printed result is ejected from a user's instruction to perform the printing process (hereinafter referred to as a “printing execution instruction”) may become long.
Specifically, when the user selects so as to print the other print data that is reserved in the other MFP (hereinafter referred to as “remotely reserved print data”) before printing the print data reserved in the MFP that performs the printing process (hereinafter referred to as “locally reserved print data”), the printing process starts on the basis of the remotely reserved print data after the transfer of the remotely reserved print data from the other MFP is completed. That is, since the first printing process is not executed unless the transfer of the remotely reserved print data is completed, the FPOT becomes long.